This blog will be coming up on its millionth published word later this year, which raises the question what's going to happen to all of this stuff in the future? I would imagine that any newcomer would find it a daunting and unappealing prospect to dig back through over 1,400 posts to see if there is anything of value there.
Blog posts are really more like conversation-starters than formal writing, anyway, although the nature of this particular blog is closer to a personal journal, or journey, or journo-fest than a truly interactive conversation.
Few people comment, with the exception of some weird Japanese porn spam site which leaves 20 comments each time it stops by. (I simply delete them, a daily occurrence.)
It might be nice if Google would develop a tool that let us "weigh" our blogs, see how many words they contain over time, for instance, and evaluate the pure mass of material through various lenses as a data-stream. Which words and phrases do we use most often; which topics attract new visitors; which headlines resonate via search engines?
Or is most online traffic just a random event?
Who knows? This blog is not even remotely a contender for commercialization, because its author all over the map -- writing about parenting, politics, sports, the environment, traveling, cooking, on and on -- he has no real idea what it is like to specialize.
That's one aspect of the transformation of media that concerns many of us who were classically trained as journalists. We've always had to cultivate as wide a range of interests, sources, and topics as possible in order to practice our craft. Of course, there are beats inside news organizations, but lots of us eschew beats and write about whatever we can -- whatever we have the opportunity to cover.
It's more fun that way, especially if you're a bit ADD'd.
In the new media world, however, I'm afraid that the niches and crannies will rule. There's not much use for an old generalist any longer -- and that may not prove to be such a good thing for society as a whole.
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1 comment:
I agree that it may not be good thing. Most people my age and younger avoid, dare I say keep themselves aloof and ignorant of anything that has real bearing on their life. The economy, politics, the future, history, a profession. All too often wrapped up in the opiates of entertainment and instant gratification...dropping tabs of propaganda, smoking a pipe of lies, drinking elixirs of grotesque hedonism; constricting their consciousness instead of expanding it through knowledge and reflection, meditation and contemplation...oh, and hard work. Who really believes in that anymore? Unless it involves a video game and sitting on their ass!
Few and far between are the opportunities to have a deep conversation with my peers...it's all escapism, not wanting to face the harsh reality that is life.
Yet at the same time our societies pace has exploded and appreciation for the "little" things is being lost on a generation numbed and dumbed down to the point of mediocrity and wishful thinking, waiting for handouts, waiting to clock-out, waiting for everything to become easier, cheaper. Their complacency may, in part, be due to the fact that there is too much going on too often. Trying to keep up with local, national, and world events becomes a dizzying cycle of trying to elucidate the truth from lies, fact from fiction...the lines between morality and immorality become blurrier daily. The separation of right and wrong, healthy and unhealthy are discussions which happen with less frequency than seasons of American Idol. Even my peers with families seem not to care what they feed themselves and their children, physically or metaphysically. Relationships based more on what YOU can do for ME, rather than what can I do for YOU.
Hell, I don't want to even call them peers. They are not my equal. I care more about them and the long term implications of their misguided thoughts and actions than they do me. All they want is someone to share their ignorance and suffering, and all I want for them is to help them understand that they do not have to be ignorant and suffer. I want to be a friend to be a friend, not a drinking, smoking, suffering buddy. But to be with them for who they are, not the rock star they think they are.
But, that is what society, in general has shown them, taught them...that you can be anything BUT who you are.
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